Coffee bars and cafes are an attractive business prospect and the emergence of the British cafÉ culture means there is more choice and variety than ever for anyone thinking about opening a new business. The addition of fresh food allows Coffee Republic Deli™ to stand out from the crowd.

The success of the Coffee Republic Delis™ have proved there is a massive demand for coffee and food that are value for money, top quality and served quickly in convenient locations, at convenient times.

There are three franchise options at Coffee Republic: a single or multiple Deli owner/operator, a Regional Development Franchisee (RDF) or a Country Master Franchisee. Coffee Republic is working with representatives based throughout the country to recruit and support new franchisees.

Along with his support team Joe Mair, who has been a Regional Development Franchisee at Coffee Republic for a year and a half, is responsible for the rapidly expanding South East network which currently includes six Deli bars.

"The opportunity to become an RDF was exciting because I saw Coffee Republic as the last of the big franchise opportunities," says Joe.

"I had looked around at various fast food and coffee chains and most of the established companies either proved inaccessible or tried to dictate the area and how many bars a franchisee must be contracted to. But with the current expansion at Coffee Republic, they offer far more flexibility for individuals.

"Coffee Republic is a very strong brand that carries a lot of good will with consumers and the power of the brand is vital. The biggest challenge my team are facing is keeping up with the demand, a good problem to have of course! I am confident we will exceed our opening targets - the original target planned for seven Delis over two years.

"In fact, we are in the process of opening 12 Delis within 18 months and business is rolling along at a fantastic pace. By the end of September we will have 10 Delis operating.

"My advice to anyone thinking about starting a franchise is firstly, don't think that it's easy. The catering industry is very hard work and in my experience, successful businesses are always run by hands-on management - it's not the right kind of business to run a business at arms-length. Try and find out as much information as you can on your chosen company.

"Coffee Republic offers open day presentations where people can come along, ask questions and meet the Franchise Team. Ask lots of questions, cover every angle you can think of and be 100 per cent sure before you make a commitment that this is the right business opportunity for you.

"My plan for the future is to continue to expand new Delis throughout Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Initially we targeted for 30 new Delis within five years, but now we expect to achieve this within three years. I would like to target smaller wealthy provincial towns such as the Deli in Sevenoaks, where the set up costs and risks are lessened by proven demand."